Bad Customers!

[NikkiHorror]

Totally! We used to call them Cosmetic Renters. There were some that we'd see probably 3 times a week in the store. And there was a code if you had one sitting in your chair or were talking to one...another one of the girls would come up to you and ask if you wanted to go for PITA sandwiches for lunch, PITA meaning Pain in the Ass, keehee!

 

[SWEET LUST *]

Quote:

Originally Posted by noahlowryfan which counter did you go to?

Bayfair Macy's in San leandro.

 

[FacesbyNiki]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NikkiHorror Totally! We used to call them Cosmetic Renters. There were some that we'd see probably 3 times a week in the store. And there was a code if you had one sitting in your chair or were talking to one...another one of the girls would come up to you and ask if you wanted to go for PITA sandwiches for lunch, PITA meaning Pain in the Ass, keehee!

 

[calbear]

OKAAAYYYYY!!!!! Like we don't have jokes about buying a polaroid just to post their pics so everyone will run and hide when they approach.

 

[FacesbyNiki]

Quote:

Originally Posted by calbear OKAAAYYYYY!!!!! Like we don't have jokes about buying a polaroid just to post their pics so everyone will run and hide when they approach.

 

[lara]

Teenagers. Teenagers in packs. Teenagers in packs who scare away all my customers and trash the displays. Buy an eyeliner or go away, please.

 

[giz2000]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lara Teenagers. Teenagers in packs. Teenagers in packs who scare away all my customers and trash the displays. Buy an eyeliner or go away, please.

Amen to that...there was a group of girls at the counter the other day...one of them was "doing" the other three girls' makeup...with her fingers and cotton balls..I just wanted them to go away...and they looked really bad (the colors were all off and they looked like hookers). They eventually went away, but I saw them later at the other MAC counter down the aisle...doing the same crap again. Now, normally, I wouldn't mind teenage girls hanging out at the counter, but I knew for a fact they weren't going to buy anything...and it was crazy busy in the store that day.

 

[calbear]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lara Teenagers. Teenagers in packs. Teenagers in packs who scare away all my customers and trash the displays. Buy an eyeliner or go away, please.

HA!!!!!!

I also love the pack that finally moves away and I'm missing the entire row of blues on my eyeshadow displayer.

 

[NikkiHorror]

Quote:

Originally Posted by calbear OKAAAYYYYY!!!!! Like we don't have jokes about buying a polaroid just to post their pics so everyone will run and hide when they approach.

Was that a diss or was that agreeable with what I said? The context is a little confusing...:whattha:

 

[calbear]

um yeah - I'm agreeing with you wholeheartedly.

 

[sharyn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lara Teenagers. Teenagers in packs. Teenagers in packs who scare away all my customers and trash the displays. Buy an eyeliner or go away, please.

Totaly agree. I saw 1 girl and 2 guys at my counter the other day and they'd just smear lipstick on each other, taking stuff out of its original packaging and asking the MUA to give them a discount cause "this crap is too expensive" - uuuugh. I also cant stand mothers with kids who come in for a make over and leave their kids to mess up the whole counter and "play" (destory) with the make up...

A MAC counter is not kindergarden. Get a damn baby sitter or stay at home if you cant afford one.

 

[noahlowryfan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sharyn Totaly agree. I saw 1 girl and 2 guys at my counter the other day and they'd just smear lipstick on each other, taking stuff out of its original packaging and asking the MUA to give them a discount cause "this crap is too expensive" - uuuugh. I also cant stand mothers with kids who come in for a make over and leave their kids to mess up the whole counter and "play" (destory) with the make up... A MAC counter is not kindergarden. Get a damn baby sitter or stay at home if you cant afford one.

if they can't afford MAC, they should get a job or go to the drugstores to purchase their makeup.

 

[Painkiller]

Reading through this thread is like an ettiquette guide. I bought my first MAC items a while ago, and it was a really nice experience. It helped that the SA was an absolute sweetie though.

 

[sharyn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by noahlowryfan if they can't afford MAC, they should get a job or go to the drugstores to purchase their makeup.

I agree - I mean I wouldn't go to a designer store and ask the sales assistant "damn these bags are waaaaay too expensive. I saw these at a supermarket for 10 bucks!!", so why do people start behaving like they're at some kind of bazar and say they've seen stuff like this in a drugstore?

at the same time I must say, you cant judge a person by the amount of money he or she makes. I used to work at a boutique for second hand designer clothes and we had customers walking in and acting like they own the damn store and treat the staff like scum- they wouldn even say thank you or goodbye, just because they had a bag or shirt with a name on it. A lady once tipped me 50 cent because she said she "knows how desperately young people need money"- I cant even tell you how I hated that. That attitude like I got 50 Dollars and therefore I am better and deserve better treatment makes me sick. I just want to scream "With your 30 dollars you bought a shirt/foundation/belt, not me or this whole store!!!"...but my manager stood there and watched the whole scene and I just said thank you. Some people need to realize: Sales assistants might sell products, but not themselves. Treat them with respect and be nice and thats what you'll get back.

I also worked as a waitress at the grand opening of a notary's office and there were (really, really rich) people who said "Get me some orange juice" with out any thank you or please and some saw me carrying a trayful of glasses and they wouldnt even step aside for me and make fun of me for whatever reason... I hate it when people are like that. I was 16 then and if you consider yourself a successful, wealthy buissnesswoman and superior to everybody else, but like showing 16 year olds that in your opinion they're less worth than you, well then I feel sorry for you.

I am sorry this turned into a rant.

 

[zombie_candy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sharyn I agree - I mean I wouldn't go to a designer store and ask the sales assistant "damn these bags are waaaaay too expensive. I saw these at a supermarket for 10 bucks!!", so why do people start behaving like they're at some kind of bazar and say they've seen stuff like this in a drugstore? at the same time I must say, you cant judge a person by the amount of money he or she makes. I used to work at a boutique for second hand designer clothes and we had customers walking in and acting like they own the damn store and treat the staff like scum- they wouldn even say thank you or goodbye, just because they had a bag or shirt with a name on it. A lady once tipped me 50 cent because she said she "knows how desperately young people need money"- I cant even tell you how I hated that. That attitude like I got 50 Dollars and therefore I am better and deserve better treatment makes me sick. I just want to scream "With your 30 dollars you bought a shirt/foundation/belt, not me or this whole store!!!"...but my manager stood there and watched the whole scene and I just said thank you. Some people need to realize: Sales assistants might sell products, but not themselves. Treat them with respect and be nice and thats what you'll get back. I also worked as a waitress at the grand opening of a notary's office and there were (really, really rich) people who said "Get me some orange juice" with out any thank you or please and some saw me carrying a trayful of glasses and they wouldnt even step aside for me and make fun of me for whatever reason... I hate it when people are like that. I was 16 then and if you consider yourself a successful, wealthy buissnesswoman and superior to everybody else, but like showing 16 year olds that in your opinion they're less worth than you, well then I feel sorry for you. I am sorry this turned into a rant.

and somemore proof that money does not equal class. it's good to know that you're above that.

 

[llucidity]

Four personal anecdotes that I would like to share:

#1 Once I had this customer who didn't acknowledge me at all! It wasn't crowded in the store coz it was pretty early in the morning and went about my usual greeting to customers which is a simple "Hi! Could I help you anything?" (She was looking through racks of clothes) She didnt respond and I thought she was deaf coz I told her about our new arrivals and such and still didn't respond to me! Later on, she just picked a top off the rack and literally walked through me to the cashier. There I saw her make some conversation with the cashier and realised she WASN'T deaf. It was so infuriating. The least she could do is nod to acknowledge my presence. It was like she thought nothing of me as a service staff! Stupid bi-atch....

#2 Another time I had a customer to haggled over a dollar discount for an hour coz she felt the buttons weren't sewn on securely. Like WTF... So I offered to sew the buttons on tighter for her and she said "no, your apparel is badly made and I want a discount" I politely told her "Sorry m'am, it's not within our company's policy but I would gladly sew the buttons on more securely for you" I then pulled up the sewing kit from behind my counter. To my surprise, she took it and started sewing it herself! I told her, "M'am, please. Let me do it for you." She insists "No! You know you should give me a discount since I'm doing this sewing myself"

Well if that's the way she wants it, I let her do her own thang. It's annoying that people come in and demand a discount for some apparent defect.

#3 I don't know what is up with people who have to try on clothes that are ON the mannequin. If it had been the last piece in the store, I would have gladly helped but it wasn't. I had an exact identical piece in the size and color required, but this crazy woman insisted she wanted to try the pants that was on the mannequin. The mannequins in our store are pretty heavy so another coworker came forward to help me strip it. When we finally got it off, she said she didn't wanna to try it anymore. Urghhhhhhhhh Don't they find it embarrassing that they are bothering good and honest people!?

#4 This is the most recent and and I was the customer. The SA refused to let me refund for this video game that I purchased wrongly on behalf of someone else. The thing is, the game was only in my possession for an hour. He even insisted I had damaged it and refused to refund. Of course I was so angry and spoke to the supervisors for over two days before I received a refund in credit vouchers. I hate it. This can only happen in my crappy little country with crappy little retailers with crappy and ridiculous return policies.

 

[MAC_Whore]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ledonatella ...."Ok, first of all this ain't Color Me Beautiful and second off I understand if you hate yellow (or whatever color) but step out of the box and try something new besides what some so called expert told you in 1982!". I guess that's one of my pet peeves. Or someone will say "Do whatever you want to me, what you think looks good." and you try and then they say, "I don't like it because I only wear brown (or whatever)" and I am like "Ok, tell me what you do like." and they go "I dunno you're the expert, you tell me." UGHHHHHHHHHHH, I am not a freakin mind reader! ....

Amen!

First of all, Colour Me Beautiful! Wow that is a blast from the past! You had me rolling with that one!

Remember that whole seasons thing? I had an "expert" match me up when I was a young teenager and she gave me this whorish, vampire burgandy-purple. Just what an NW25 15 year old needs, eh?

I love the indifferent "do whatever you want to me" customer. Sometimes it seems like the act of picking out makeup for them is like forcing them at gunpoint to endure a root canal without anesthesia. I mean, you really wonder why they are there. Sure there is the person that needs a lot of guidance and that's fine, but the people who don't give any directions to you or aren't receptive to anything you kindly suggest....I don't get it.

Then there is the customer who isn't happy with their looks to begin with and are looking for a product that will miracle them into Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce or Jessica Simpson. When that doesn't happen, they are disappointed.

Speaking of customers who can't be pleased: I had one customer in particular who picked out every single product that she wanted in her application. Totally subtle stuff. Tinted moisturizer, Girlie eyeshadow, Strada blush and VG5 lipstick. I put it on her and she was like, "These colours you picked make me look like a hooker!" Ummm, first of all, you picked them. Second of all, I don't think I could make a person look like a hooker with tinted moisturizer, Strada, Girlie and VG5 if I tried. How is that possible? I should have been tipped off by the fact that she bitched throughout the whole application process about how she just caught her fiance cheating on her the day before. She was just pissed at the world. This was a customer that no one could please. Ahhhh...good times.

Oh and another customer who was shopping on Christmas eve. It was Like 6:45 and the store had closed at 6:30. The lights were dimmed for pete's sake! This lady comes up to the counter and asks us to get her a mascara. Here's the dialogue that went on in my head:

Ummmm...it's Christmas eve, we closed 15 minutes ago. It's dark in here. Every MA here is either counting a til or cleaning something. You may have an emergency because you procratinated. You may not want to be at home with your family on Christmas eve,but I sure as hell want to be with mine, so uhhh... no. BIIIOOOOTCH! Of course it came out as:

"I'm sorry, maam. We have closed the registers at this time."

Or the lady who wants her makeup done whilst she is holding her fidgety toddler on her lap.

Or the lady who comes in to get her makeup done, only to stop you every 1-2 minutes to round up devil-toddler child who runs off, or plays in the trash can and who eventually, with one swoop, wiped all of the shadows off of the shelf onto the floor, cuz he thought it was funny.

Or the lady who kept hitting on me during the application.

Or the lady who called me and yelled at me once a day for at least a week and a half straight because we were out of her lipstick.

Her: "Well sure I can get it at another counter or online, but I shouldn't have to."

Me to myself: Since we are playing the "shouldn't have tos" game, I shouldn't have to listen to your crap. Don't you have anything else to do???

Or the lady who wasn't watching her son who got into the lipstick testers. When she realized that he had gotten lipstick on his coat, she asked me, "Why weren't you watching him?"

Me to myself: Well, he didn't drop out of my uterus.

I used to pride myself on keeping a good attitude with customers when I was an MA. I was usually the one that other MAs would turn to when they had a doozy of a customer. But damn, some people really made it hard to be nice to them. I always was, but damn.

Yeah, all the good memories are flooding back. Yep....definitely remember why I left now.

 

[maxcat]

Customer: I want a foundation. A foundation to cover my wrinkles.
Me: Foundations don't do that. They even out the skintone. Customer: But they must make one that covers wrinkles.
Me: Nope. It doesn't exist.
Customer: But I need something to deal with my wrinkles. Just because MAC doesn't make one doesn't mean there isn't one. You tell me what to do about my wrinkles! (yelling at this point...)
Me: (deadpanned) Maybe try Botox injections?

 

[MAC_Whore]

Yeah, I loved that. When you get bitched at by a customer because you are the only counter in the store that was honest to them.

Her: " I need a cream to get rid of my dark eye circles."

Me: '"We dont' have anything that gets rid of them, but this eye cream and concealer will help reduce the appearance of the dark circles."

Her: "They told me over at counter X (fill in random counter name here) that they have something that gets rid of them."

Me to self: Well, they are lying to you.

If you want to get rid of those dark undereye circles you have to get rid of your DNA. You're born with them.

I had the wrinkle conversation before. I tried to pleasantly reason with a woman for quite awhile that I can help her reduce the appearance of her wrinkles and puffy undereyes, but not eliminate them. And believe me, I would always approach these delicate conversations with the utmost diplomacy. But dang......

I mean, if MAC could do that, don't you think the world would be lined up out the door to get that product? There are some things that only surgery can accomplish. Some people only will believe what they want to hear, I guess. It just always irked me that some customers would get frustrated with honesty, yet they're happy when another counter lies to them and tells them what they want to hear. I dunno...???

 

[MisStarrlight]

Quote:

Originally Posted by maxcat Me: (deadpanned) Maybe try Botox injections?

Something that comes out of my mouth quite often.

As much as I love Fast Response, it's not going to "cure" you. People just don't get that we can only cover up COLOR problems, not texture or mental ones.




Anyone have any Christmas Eve horror stories?
Nothing really bad happened directly at my counter, except that both our freelancers took makeovers 30 minutes before we closed...no big deal on that one, they honsetly were unaware that we can't be doing that. I had a girl curse me out because she had to wait to get her concealer while we helped the 50 other people in front of her & then we didn't have a full selection of pigments (hello, we're a COUNTER!). She said she was going to go over to a store then. To which I said to her "Go ahead. I'm sure that they're closed already, but feel free to waste your own time instead of mine." Probably a little bitchy, but COME ON!
Other than that, we were dead all day. Barely making goal & if we were selling anything, it was $15 at a time. But starting at 5:30 & until at least 6:20 (we closed at 6) the store was still PACKED. The lights were flickering on & off, people were scurrying everywhere, there was a Macy's guy on a bull horn, and they had employees blocking the escalators cause people were still trying to shop. It was unlike everything I've ever seen before. I had sooooo many people coming up & asking me to ring out their random purcases (none of which were MAC).

Oh yeah, and it took me a hour just to get out of the parking lot!